1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a storage and connection system for hats or visors, and more particularly, to a radio, speaker and connection assembly that connects to a hat, such as the bill of a baseball cap, and that may be adapted for other accessories such as a flashlight or rotatable sun shield.
2. Description of the Background Art
Baseball caps and portable radios are well known and popular. Existing baseball caps comprise a bill and head cover. Portable radios known in the art include those adapted into headsets or sold under the trademark Walkman. Although awkward, oftentimes people simultaneously wear baseball caps and portable radios. This, however, can be uncomfortable and dangerous. Portable radios and headsets typically fit up against the ear or in the ear in a manner that drowns out ambient noise. Consequently, outside noises that would typically warn of potential danger go unnoticed, which can result in life threatening accidents. In addition, existing portable radio devices are not always adapted for convenient hands-free portability and use. Moreover, it is sometimes desirable to have an additional storage place for personal items, such as keys and money, and, or other accessories, such as a flashlight and, or sunshield, conveniently available. Additional accessories such as these would be conveniently available if embodied in a hat, such as a baseball cap. There are no known audio assembly systems for hats or baseball-styled caps having these attributes.
The background art discloses various devices that are connectable to a hat, however they fail to adequately address the foregoing as contemplated by the instant invention. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,759, issued to Anderson, discloses a timekeeping cap with a crown portion placed on the head of a human, a visor portion extending from the crown portion for shade which has a cavity which opens to the lower surface of the visor portion, and a clock which is positioned within the cavity which includes a clock face through which time may be viewed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,139, issued to Benitez, discloses retractable binoculars, used in combination with and attached to a visor, the binoculars structured and fitted to be positioned under the side of the visor, or may be extended in a viewing position where an individual may look through the binoculars supportably attached to the visor being worn. U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,746, issued to Gelber, discloses a cap having a crown, a brim and an internal sweatband or flap, combined with an electronic receiving device, such as a radio, which is connected to the inner surface of the flap by a double-sided adhesive strip. A battery holder is mounted to the flap on the other side of the brim by a second double sided adhesive strip and a second backing element. Earphones are connected to the radio by wires on the opposite side of the radio. U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,698, issued to Burton, discloses a wearable audio reception device with a flexible enclosure removably attachable to an article of clothing, the radio also being removably attachable to the flexible enclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,092, issued to Streb, discloses a cap with sleep posture alarm comprised of a cap adapted for receiving a user's head, alarm circuitry for generating an alarm signal when electrically energized, at least one speaker for transmitting an alarm based upon receipt of an alarm signal, and a power source for providing electrical energy to the alarm circuitry. U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,807, issued to Peterson, discloses headgear including a light-filtering visor which may be used with caps, hats, and headbands. The light-filtering visor may be flipped downward to an operative position, or upward to an inoperative position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,413, issued to Bower, discloses an eye shield for a visor or cap bill which may be removably attached to the bill of a visor or cap by pressing clips onto the right edge and the left edge of the bill. U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,060, issued to Johnson, discloses a combination baseball style cap and light assembly. The cap has a crown, a bill extending from the crown, a sweatband liner circumscribing the bottom edge of the cap, and a reinforcing crown liner, and a double light and switch assembly comprising two lamp sockets affixed to a mounting plate on each side of a sealed sub-mini micro switch also affixed to the mounting plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,160, issued to Sheppard, discloses a cap having a tape playing apparatus, and at least one speaker positionable near the ear openings of the wear for playing desired tapes while the wearer is sleeping. The tape playing apparatus is positioned at the crown of the cap to allow the user to sleep comfortably when the cap is in use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,337, issued to Dudley, discloses a flexible mirror that can be attached to a variety of items of apparel. The mirror includes a low strength magnet and a hinge member, which pivotally secures the flexible mirror to a flexible surface of an item of apparel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,640, issued to Ryder, discloses a visor and eyeshield combination which allows the wearer to adjust the eyeshield by flipping the eyeshield up to a rest position or down to an in-use position. By adjusting the distance of the eyeshield downward from the visor, in order to accommodate eyeglasses and/or facial contours. U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,291, issued to Asenguah, discloses an apparatus providing solar powered air circulation to the face and upper body of the user. Mounting photoelectric cells to the apex of the top of a hat is provided which cells are connected by wire to a directionally selective fan which is located under the brim of the hat. U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,198, issued to Burton, discloses a mirror attachment for eyeglasses, which is a lightweight rectangular mirror attached to the temple piece of a pair of eyeglasses by a hinged arm. The mirror may be folded to a closed position generally parallel to the temple piece when not in use, and extended to a vertical plane of the eyeglass lens when in use. U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,992, issued to Bondy, discloses an eye shield assembly for use in conjunction with a hat having a brim. The assembly includes a frame and a lens mounted to the frame. The opposite sides of the frame are pivotally secured to the hat brim so that the frame is movable between a storage position and an operational position.
Based on the foregoing, the background devices fail to disclose an audio assembly system for a hat or hat-like device having or being adaptable for having a built in radio/player and speaker assembly with the option for additional accessories, such as storage, flashlight and, or sunshield, as contemplated by the instant invention. If a device and, or system existed that could conveniently combine a hat, such as a baseball cap or visor, with a hands-free audio assembly system that can be heard without blocking ambient noise it would be well received. Such a device would also be well received with additional accessories. The instant invention addresses this unfulfilled need in the prior art by providing a radio and connection system that is adapted for attachment to the bill of a baseball cap.